Tamiyo, Collector of Tales — ruling 1

As a spell or ability an opponent controls resolves, if it would force you to sacrifice a permanent or discard a card, you just don’t. That part of the effect does nothing. If that spell or ability gives you the option to sacrifice a permanent or to discard a card, you can’t take that option.

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales — ruling 2

If a spell or ability an opponent controls states that something happens unless you sacrifice a permanent (as Mogis, God of Slaughter does) or discard a card (as Painful Quandary does), you can’t choose to sacrifice or discard. On the other hand, if a spell or ability an opponent controls instructs you to sacrifice a permanent unless you perform an action (as Killing Wave does) or discard a card unless you perform an action, you can choose whether or not to perform the action. If you don’t perform the action, nothing happens, since the spell or ability can’t cause you to sacrifice any permanents or discard cards.

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales — ruling 3

Tamiyo’s ability affects sacrifices, but not any other ways permanents can leave the battlefield. It won’t stop a creature from dying due to lethal damage or having 0 toughness, and it won’t stop a permanent from being put into its owner’s graveyard due to the “legend rule.” None of these are sacrifices; they’re the result of game rules.

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales — ruling 4

If a spell or ability your opponent controls reduces your maximum hand size, Tamiyo’s first ability won’t stop you from discarding cards when the game rules cause you to discard during your cleanup step.

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales — ruling 5

If Tamiyo has 3 loyalty, you can’t activate her last ability to return her to your hand. She won’t be in your graveyard while you’re choosing targets for the ability.

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Spells and abilities your opponents control can't cause you to discard cards or sacrifice permanents. +1: Choose a nonland card name, then reveal the top four cards of your library. Put all cards with the chosen name from among them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. −3: Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.

Complete guide

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales is a versatile Simic planeswalker that offers unparalleled protection for your hand and board while digging through your library. Whether you are looking for specific combo pieces or shielding yourself from forced sacrifices, she is a powerful addition to any deck focused on card advantage. Her presence ensures that your resources stay exactly where they belong: under your control.

Unbreakable Focus

Tamiyo's static ability is a defensive powerhouse. While she is on the battlefield, spells and abilities your opponents control cannot cause you to discard cards or sacrifice permanents. This means if an opponent plays a spell that would force you to discard or sacrifice, that specific part of the effect simply does nothing. It is important to note that this only applies to effects from opponents; it does not stop game rules, such as discarding down to your maximum hand size during your cleanup step or the 'legend rule'.

Naming Your Destiny

When you activate Tamiyo's +1 loyalty ability, the process is precise. First, you must choose a nonland card name. Next, you reveal the top four cards of your library. Any cards matching the chosen name are put into your hand, while every other card revealed this way goes into your graveyard. This is an excellent way to fill your graveyard for later use or to fish for a specific game-ending spell while slowly building her loyalty.

Precision Recovery

The -3 loyalty ability provides direct recursion, allowing you to return any target card from your graveyard to your hand. However, timing is key. You cannot use this ability to return Tamiyo herself to your hand if she is at exactly 3 loyalty. This is because the target must be chosen before the cost (removing loyalty) is paid, and Tamiyo does not enter the graveyard until the ability has finished being activated and state-based actions are checked.

When to Play Tamiyo

Tamiyo is best deployed when you need to protect a specific creature from sacrifice effects or when you are playing against decks that rely on hand disruption. She is also a key engine in self-mill strategies. Because her +1 ability puts the unchosen cards into the graveyard, she helps fuel graveyard synergies while keeping your hand stocked with the tools you need to win.

Interaction examples

Synergizing with Narset

Narset, Parter of Veils

If you have Tamiyo, Collector of Tales and Narset, Parter of Veils on the battlefield, you create a restrictive environment for your opponent. While Tamiyo protects your hand from their discard spells, Narset prevents them from drawing extra cards to find an answer. If you use Tamiyo's -3 ability, you can even bring Narset back from the graveyard if your opponent managed to attack her down.

Building a Library-Thinning Engine

Jace, Wielder of Mysteries

Tamiyo and Jace, Wielder of Mysteries work perfectly in a self-mill strategy. You can use Tamiyo's +1 ability to name a card you need; even if you don't find it, the other cards go to the graveyard, bringing you closer to an empty library. Once your library is empty, Jace's static ability will win you the game the next time you would draw a card.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Tamiyo, Collector of Tales

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
As a spell or ability an opponent controls resolves, if it would force you to sacrifice a permanent or discard a card, you just don’t. That part of the effect does nothing. If that spell or ability gives you the option to sacrifice a permanent or to discard a card, you can’t take that option.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability an opponent controls states that something happens unless you sacrifice a permanent (as Mogis, God of Slaughter does) or discard a card (as Painful Quandary does), you can’t choose to sacrifice or discard. On the other hand, if a spell or ability an opponent controls instructs you to sacrifice a permanent unless you perform an action (as Killing Wave does) or discard a card unless you perform an action, you can choose whether or not to perform the action. If you don’t perform the action, nothing happens, since the spell or ability can’t cause you to sacrifice any permanents or discard cards.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
Tamiyo’s ability affects sacrifices, but not any other ways permanents can leave the battlefield. It won’t stop a creature from dying due to lethal damage or having 0 toughness, and it won’t stop a permanent from being put into its owner’s graveyard due to the “legend rule.” None of these are sacrifices; they’re the result of game rules.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability your opponent controls reduces your maximum hand size, Tamiyo’s first ability won’t stop you from discarding cards when the game rules cause you to discard during your cleanup step.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5May 3, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If Tamiyo has 3 loyalty, you can’t activate her last ability to return her to your hand. She won’t be in your graveyard while you’re choosing targets for the ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.